On the Run
by RandomFanfictioner13
Summary: AU. Dib Membrane was a good kid. He did whatever he could to be the best kid ever. That was, until, he was abandoned by his father. Now, living a criminal's life, Dib must learn to convert his ways as he dodges the cops, falling in love with one in particular. ZaDR.
1. Prologue

**A/N: Hello! For those of you who don't know me, I'm randomfanfictioner01, but ya'll can call me Random for short. I've only ever posted one other IZ story, so I still consider myself a newbie around here. I can't wait to post more! So, enjoy this AU story of mine! Hope you like it!**

_**Disclaimer: I don't own IZ! The almighty Jhonen does!**_

There was once a baby boy born to a man and a woman. His name was Dib. Dib Membrane. He was born a happy, healthy little boy. Now, Dib was a good little boy. He always did what he could to make his parents proud, but because his father was a well-known scientist, it was very hard to impress him. Especially when Dib had an unhealthy obsession with the paranormal. That, he got from his mother, and his looks from his father. About a year later, his mom gave birth to a beautiful little girl. However, his mom then died after the child labor. His father named the baby girl Gazlene, or Gaz for short. It was their mom's favourite name for a baby girl. So, their father took them both in. He tried his best to look after them and take care of them, but soon, he made a mistake got into a financial difficulty. He knew he had to do something drastic, that Dib knew; but what Dib didn't expect, was what his dad did do.

Dib had come home from his last day of grade 2 when it happened. His dad was waiting for him, his sister up in her room. He had told Dib that the boy had to leave. Dib didn't understand, but he trusted his dad. When his dad told him to go somewhere else, Dib listened. So, he set out to the city like his dad told him to. However, when he tried to find his way back home, that's when he realized he was lost and alone. He started crying, scared out of his wits. After all, what child wouldn't? By nightfall, Dib had continued looking, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get home, and that's when he realized what had happened.

At 7 years old, Dib Membrane had been abandoned by his father.

However, he wasn't entirely alone. Some criminals had picked him up off the street. They cared for him, taught him, and most important to him, they treated him as an equal. Dib didn't know any better though, so he went with them. They showed him everything he'd need to know to survive on the streets. Every tactic, from simple pickpocketing to robbing, and even, if necessary, how to kill someone. By the age of 10, he knew every trick in the book, by 13 he'd attempted all of them at least once, and by 17 had mastered them all. He was like a legend around the criminal community! Everyone wanted to meet him and learn a trick or two about one thing or another, but Dib never stayed in one place for long. Not when the cops were constantly on his tail. Dib always jumped from one place to the next without anyone seeing him leave. He decided that he didn't want to be a criminal, but since he knew no other way and desperately needed necessities to live, he decided that he'd only do it when he needed to. By then, he'd long given up on the paranormal.

Dib shook himself out of his memory as he focused more on where he had to go in the city he was in. You wonder what city he's in? You'll see soon enough. As Dib came out of the ally way he had been in seconds ago, he was surprised to find that he still knew his way around after almost 10 years. Across the road was the local police department. Dib heard from a reliable source that the cops had something up their sleeves to try and catch him. Looking down at the blueprints for the vents of the building, He raced over like a ninja in the night (Easy since it was night) and found the ventilation shaft he needed. Opening it, he crawled in and replaced the cover. Using the blueprints as a map, he found the meeting room where the cops were. There was a big man. He looked like he used to be in the Army. Dib listened in.

"Listen up!" A gruff, deep voice came from the huge man. "I've called you all here because of the Getaway bandit. Ya'll are the best of the best, the strongest of the strong, the smartest of the smart! You're tough, you're ruthless, you're lean, mean fighting machines! Ya'll are here to help catch the Getaway bandit."

Dib mentally rolled his eyes. Of course they gave him a stupid criminal nickname. Also at the fact that they didn't know his name or the fact that he was Professor Membrane's son, otherwise they'd be working on his case 24/7. Well, that was a plus for him.

"Yes rookie?" The voice said once again, pointing to someone in the room. Dib could only see the one man though.

"If we are the best, strongest, smartest-all that stuff you said, then why's she here?" He must of pointed to someone.

"I'll have you know," A voice said. The voice sounded like it was on the border line between masculine and feminine. "That I happen to be the best cop around!"

"If you were," the rookie spoke, "then the Getaway bandit would be behind bars, and it would've been all you. You would of singlehandedly captured him without help by now!"

"I'll have you know I wasn't recruited for this mission until now!"

"Then how do you know so much about this case?"

"Insolent fool boy! I have my spare time."

"Yet I don't? Why-"

"Enough!" The gruff man said. "I expect that her presents here will be excepted! Either that, or job termination! Do I make myself clear?"

"Sir yes sir!" Dib heard everyone say.

"Now, since you've used up all our time with arguing, we'll meet here again tomorrow, same time. Dismissed!"

Staying still until everyone had gone, Dib escaped the vents. He'd have to come back the next night, which worried him greatly. The longer he stayed here, the greater risk there was of him getting caught. Especially in this city.

His home town.

** A/N: How'd I do? Huh? I really wanna know what you think. It can be reviews or criticism. I dislike flames, but I'll except them. **


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N: HEY-YO! I'm back! Glad to be here once again! Based on what I've heard, you guys love this story! Just remember: I don't know what ya wanna see if ya don't tell me! Now, I have a HUGE announcement! This requires me to rant, but it does have a point. Here we go:**

** It's about, what I call, 'the nationwide fanfiction cleanup of 2013' First I found out the DARESHOW of ZIM! By the always awesome Invader Xenial was take. Down. It was taken down for 'breaking FF rules.' Then, on Friday, I tried to post this chapter, but It said I couldn't post until now. I was filled with fear. I looked on my account- 2 of my stories were taken down for being songfics! I just wan to warn authors out there about those jerks! Now, Xenial has something planned as a comeback! Come and fight for our cause! **

**_Disclaimer: I ain't Jhonen!_**

Dib sighed as he sauntered into a dark ally. Since he didn't plan on staying here overnight, he hadn't bothered to set up a place for himself like he normaly did. Usually, he'd phone up an old buddy and ask for them to take him in. They'd always do it in exchange for something. It might be something from off the steets, how to do something, and on the rare occasion, help with a heist. Normaly, it was cool with him. Ya know, having connections. Even if he was to stay somewhere for the night here, he couldn't afford to risk that in his home town. Why when, if something went wrong, he'd get caught 2-seconds flat? In other cities, it wouldn't be as bad, since they wouldn't know their a target. However, all good cops know that a criminal always returns to the scene of the crime. Or in this case, where they originated from.

He pulled off his trench coat and folded it up so he could use it as a pillow. Normaly it was his blanket, but he had been lucky enough to find a slightly torn quilt in the dumpster located in the ally he was at, so he desided to use that and hide behind the dumpster.

'At least I'll get a decent sleep' Dib thought. And that was good. The more well-rested he was, the easier it would be dodging cops. That was something he had learned the hard way. He had almost been caught a few times before due to lack of sleep.

So, he had laid down and gotten ready to close his eyes for the night. However, that was not the plan fate had in store for him.

He could hear the pitter patter of feet and a barking dog. That got his attention. If dogs were involved, they could track his scent easily! He bolted up, grabbing his trench coat, and raced to the ladder at the side of the building. He flew up the rungs like it was nothing. Even if they could track him with the dogs, if he was able to jump to the next building, he could hide under the ledge and avoid them for now.

However, he got quite the shock when he saw a person enter the ally. It looked as if they had been running for a long time. They looked around in fear, obviously not sure what to do.

Dib wasn't sure what to do either. Should he help or not? He bit his bottom lip. If he was going to help, he needed to do it. And fast!

Eventually, he desided. He leaned over the edge and whispered, "Hey!"

The person looked up, but Dib was too far away to judge what his reaction was. "Hide in the dumpster!" He continued' pointing to the said item.

They looked at it, and after a moment's hesitation, dove in, and not a moment too soon, as the dog came around the corner. The only thing Dib questioned was where it's human was. That was answered when another person-this one clearly female-entered the ally. "What cha find boy?"

The dog sniffed the scent trail to the dumpster, then started barking at it.

The girl giggled, then went off, the dog fallowing.

There was a moment of silence before the person exited the trash containment unit and Dib climbed down the ladder. Once the boy reached the person down below, it was clear that this was a dude.

"Hey," he hesitantly spoke. "Th-thanks for saving me there."

"It's no biggie, really. I do that kinda stuff all the time." Well, itwasn't a lie. He did, but only really for his criminal buddies. This was different. He didn't know the backstory for this guy.

"Wow. That must be amazing, getting to help people like that."

Dib chuckled. "Well, it only takes being good at something to save people. In your case, a voice that travels well, knowledge of the allyway, and a plan."

"You're still pretty amazing."

Now that he got a clearer look, he could see that this boy looked only about 19 or 20-ish. Just graduated from Hiskool, had nowhere to go, so he turned to a life of crime. Or so Dib thought.

The boy just stood there as Dib pulled off is trench coat and started folding it into a square. "Um, what are you doing?"

"Making a place for me to sleep." Dib responded as he finished folding the article of clothing, placing it at the top of the quilt's edge. "Why? Do you not have anywhere to go?"

"N-no. I do..." He sounded uncertain.

Dib just smiled. "Come here. You can sleep here with me if you want."

He started backing up, waving his hands. "Oh no, I couldn't intrude-"

"You wouldn't be." Dib promised. "You can stay here if you want."

The boy looked unsure. "Really?"

"Of course." The Membrane boy spoke, the smile still on his face.

"Alright..." So he carefully walked over and sat on the blanket as Dib dug through the trash, pulling something out.

"Here," He tossed it to the boy on the blanket. "You can use that as a pillow so it's more comfortable."

Dib layed down beside the strange boy. "Thanks. For everything." The boy thanked.

"Please, it's nothing."

So the two of them floated off into deep slumber. However, Dib was in too deep a sleep to see the shadow of a figure chuckle and escape the ally.

**A/N: Sweet! I got this up before flag football! Wrll, enjoy the chapter, wish our team luck for football (especially with my bruised finger), and-**

**Hao: JOIN OUR CAUSE!**


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